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(No Model.) 2 sheets-#sheet 1.

G. G. LANE.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 420,809. Patented Feb..4, 1890.

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(No Model.)

100.420.800. Patented P0021., 1800.

iden-07 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE G. LANE, OF PROSPERITY, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOROBERT L. LUTHER, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 420,809, dated February4, 1890.

Application filed December 5, 1889.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE G. LANE', a citizen of the United States,residing at Prosperity, in the county of Newberry and State of SouthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Couplers; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to 1o which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to an improveprovement in car-couplings,the obj ect thereof being to provide a simple, cheap, and efficientdevice for the purpose of coupling railway-cars; and the inventionconsists in the construction and arrangement and combination of parts,substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my zo invention, Figure l is a topplan view of my improved car-coupler as practically applied to theadjacent ends of two cars, said c'ars being shown as coupled. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional elevation on the linexof Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a detail front elevation of one of the drawheads. Fig. 4E is a topplan view similar to Fig. 1, showing the cars uncoupled as the result ofthe automatic operation which opens the sectional draw-heads. Fig. is avertical .3o section of Fig. 4, similar to the section in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference designate like parts throughout all thedifferent figures of the drawings.

My improved car-coupling is intended for use with any kind of a railwaycar or vehicle. The parts of the car, therefore, which are shown in thedrawings are given by way of example only, as I am not restricted to any4o particular construction of the car.

In carrying my invention into practical effect I iirst provide the underportion of the end of the car with a horizontal rectangular frame or itsequivalent, consisting, essentially, of the side pieces A A, which areparallel to the end of the car and are located at a suitable distanceapart, said strips A A being connected by the side strips B B, which areparallel to the sides of the car.

5o O C O O designate the trucks arranged below the horizontalrectangular frame which Serial No. 332,698. (No model.)

supports the several parts of my improved car-coupling. Withinthehorizontal rectangular frame is a cross-bar A', parallel to the sidestrips A A and about midway between them. Between the cross-bar A andthe outer strip A are two connecting-bars A2 A2, arranged parallel tothe sides B B. This construction of the frame, as here stated, is givenby the way of example only, and I am not restricted to itsprecisearrangement. It is one convenient frame-work which may be providedwherewith to arrange the several mechanical parts which compose myautomatic car-coupler.

The draw-head consists of two sections D D, which arehorizontally-movable toward and away from each other within a slot h inthe outer strip A, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, saidsections D Dv having their inner ends a cl, pivoted to a bar E, locatedwithin a square opening in the crossbar A', which bar E has a roundedend E entering the opening in the inner strip A, a spring g being coiledbetween the strip A and the bar E, as shown in Figs. l and 4. It willthus be seen that the bar E is susceptible of a certain amount ofreciprocatory movement, and that in this movement it will carry thesectional draw-head with it. The spring g normally holds the bar E insuch a p'osition that the draw-heads will be extended a proper distancebeyond the outer strip A. The draw-head, when its sections or jaws areclosed together, presents an opening t', (see Fig. 3,) adapted toreceive the arrow-head of the coupling-bolt. Furthermore, it will benoted that the outer face of the draw-head is provided with a recessmore or less deeply concaved; also, the opposing faces of the sections DD are recessed or formed with cavities arranged so that when thesections are closed together, as seen in Fig. 1, the arrowhead of thecoupling-bolt may lie nicely within the recess. This recess is indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thus it will be apparent that if the sectionsof the draw-head are close together, as in Fig. 1, and the arrow.

head coupling-bolt enters the concave face of the draw-head and itspoint enters the opening t' the said sections D D will be forced apartsufficiently to permit the arrow-head to IOO drop into the recessprovided therefor, after which the sections of the draw-head may beclosed together by some suitable agency, leaving the arrow-head withinits recess while the bolt will lic in the opening 'L'.

Parallel to the sides B B of the supportingfranie are two reds F F, heldin suitable openings in the cross-bar A and the outer strip A, said rodsbein g provided with coiled springs l) l), the ends of whichl bear,respectively, against the cross-bar A and a pin on each rod F, thuskeeping the rods in place to permit them to have an endwise movement.The outei' ends of the rods F, which project through the strip A, areprovided with buffers F. The buffers F F on the adjacent ends of twocars will meet and come in contact with each other, as shown in Figs. land i, which contact will produce the result of moving the reds F Fendwise and compressing the springs Z1 Zi, as shown in Fig. et. rlhcinner ends of the reds F F have secured thereto at right angles shortbars G G. The ends of these bars G G are connected with the outer endsof the sections D D of the draw-head by links 1I Il; hence when the rodsF F are moved endwise, consequent upon a violent collision or abruptmeeting of two cars, it will be evi* dent that the links II II willoperate to separate the sections D D of the d Iaw-head by turning saidsections en their pivotal peints, and thus placing them in the positionshown in Fig. et. Each of the sections D is preferably provided with ablock (l, inserted into the side thereof. A spring c connects this blockd with the cross-piece A2. These springs c c act to return the sectionsD D to their former position and close them after they have been openedby any means.

I denotes a rock-shaft journaled in suitable bearings in the frame. Thisrock-shaft is provided at each end with arms J2 J 2, having on the endthereof brake-shoes, which are adapted to bear against the trucks C C.Furthermore, the rock-shaft I is provided with projections, preferablycurved, (designated e e,) and located adjacent to the bars G G, so thatwhen the rods F F are recipro cated in their bearings the bars G G willstrike the curved projections e c, thus rock ing the shaft I andpressing the brake-shoes against the trucks., As the rock-shaft Irevolves t-he curved projections c e will strike against the beveledblocks J J, carried on the inner ends of the spring-actuated pins erbolts J J, which. are held within openings or bearings in the innerstrip A, said pins J J being enveloped by springs ff, which aretensiened between the blocks J J and the strip A; hence when the bars GG press on the curved projections e e and force these projectionsagainst the bevehblecks J J it is manifest that the pins J J will slipwithin 4their bea-rings and the springs ff will be more or lesscompressed; but when the springs() l on the rods F F act to return saidrods F F te their former position, thus removing the bars G G fromcontact with the curved projections e e, then the springsff will thrustthe bevel-blocks J J back into their former position,which will resultin removing the brakes which were formerly applied te the trucks. rlhepins J J are preferably slotted, through which slots pass pins in theside A, so as te limit the extent ot' movement of the said pins J J.Frein this arrangement it will be observed that when two cars comeviolently together, their buffers F F striking forcibly, the result willbe not only te open the sectional draw-head, release the coupling-bolt,and thus uncouple the cars, but also simultaneously with this uncouplingact-ion to apply the brakes, and thus assist in stepping the car.

The coupling-belt which I use in my present invention is a substitutefor the ordinary link, consisting of the ordinary metallic bolt K,having at each end arrow-heads K K, and provided also with a central pinL, atlixed at right angles te the belt K. This pin is long enough torest between the sections D D of the opposite draw-heads, when saidsections are unclosed as well as when they are closedthat is, when theyoccupy the position shown in Fig. l, as well as when they occupy theclosed position indicated in Fig. l.

Referring to Fig. l, M M denote handles pivotally connected to thesections D D of the d 'aw-head and extending to a point near the sideset the car, where they may be easily and readily grasped for the purposeof opening the drawvhead t-e permit the removal of the coupling-boltwithout obliging the operator to pass between the cars. These handlesare supported on suitable projections on the end of the car. It will beobserved that the links 1I II, at the points where they are connect-edwith the bars G G, are provided with slots, as shown in Figs. l. and l.,through which slots pass short pins in the ends of the bars G G. rIlhescslots in the links II II permit said links to have a certain freedom ofmovement when the sections D D are unclosed by hand, without also movingthe bars G G and the spring-actuated buiferrods.

Frein the foregoing description of the construction and arrangement ofthe several parts of my improved car-coupler its operation will bemanifest. It will be seen at a glance that the coupling of two carstogether may be automatically effected by the use of this coupler. I`urthermore, it will be clear that when a collision takes place the carswill automatically unceuple, and simultaneously with the uncoupling theapplication to the brakes will take place. The automatic un? coupling ofthe cars will cause a rebounding of the coaches and telescoping will beprcvented. The springs can easily be made sailiciently streng to reboundany weight that may be placed on the coaches. One coach will rebound.against the next adjacent coach and this will continue through theentire train, and although the last coach may not rebound sufficientlyto effect an uncoupling, still its movement Will be snflicient toprevent telescoping. -When the sections of the drawhead are opened orunclosed by the use of the hand-levers, the arrow-head coupling-boltWill drop out of engagement with the draw-head and fall clear of thesame, so that it may be entirely disengaged without the necessity ofexposing the operator to the danger of going between the ends of thecars.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of the sectional draw-head, thespring-actuated buffer-rods, the links connecting said rods with thesections of the draw-head, and the closing-springs for the draw-headsections, arranged substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head consisting ofpivoted sections, the spring-actuated bufferrods carrying bars at rightangles thereto, the links connecting said bars with the draw-headsections, and the closing-springs for the draw-head sections, allcombined substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the draw-head consisting of the pivoted sections,the springactuated buffer-rods having right-angled bars connected to theinner ends thereof, the links connecting said bars with the draw-headsections, the closing-springs for the draw-head sections, and therock-shaft carrying brakeshoes and provided with curved sectionsoperated by the spring-actuated buffewrod, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the draw-head consisting of pivoted sections, thespring-actuated bntfer=rods having right-'angled bars connected to theinner ends thereof, the links connecting said bars with the sec-tions ofthe draw-head, the closing-springsfor the drawhead sections, therock-shaft carrying the brakes and provided with project-ions acted onby the buffer-rods, and the spring-actuated pins carrying bevel-blocksand acting to release the brakes, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the draw-head consisting of pivoted sections, thespring-actuated buffer-rods carrying right-angled bars,

the links connecting said bars with the drawhead sections, theclosing-springs for the drawhead sections, the rock-shaft carryingbrakeshoes, the spring-actuated pins having bevelblocks and acting torelease the brakes, and the spring-actuated bar, to which the drawheadsections are pivoted, all arranged substantially as described.

6. The combination of the draw-head consisting of sections D D, saiddraw-head being formed with an internal cavity and with a concaved outerface having a central opening, the spring-actuated bar to which the endsa c of the draw-head sections are pivoted, the closing-springs c c forthe draw-head sections, and the devices, as described, for automaticallyopening the sections, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the draw-head consisting of sections D D,constructed as described, the springactuated bar E, to which the innerends a a of the draw-head sections are pivoted, the closing-springs c cfor the draw-head sections, the buffer-rods F F, provided with springs bb, and having bars G G connected to said rods, and the links I-I H,connected to the bars 'G G and also to the drawhead sections D D, allsubstantially as described.

8. In a carcoupling, the combination with the draw-head consisting otpivotedsections, the spring-actuated buffer-rods having rightangled barsconnected to the inner ends thereof, the links pivotcd to said bars andalso to the draw-head sections, the closing-springs for the cliawheadsections and the rock-shaft I, having arms J 2 J 2, each end thereofcarrying brake-shoes, and having also the curved projections e e and thepinsJ J, carryingbeveled blocks J .J adapted to be in contact with thecurved pins e c, and the enveloping springs f f, surrounding said pins JJ, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE G. LANE. Vitnesses:

I. II. HUNT, J. B. FELLERS.

